There was so much to discover on the island. There was so much beauty to love. We had two long weeks to embrace it all.

“Regarde le gros bateau !” (Look at the big boat!) I told Lulu as I was holding her hand while pointing at the ferry that was entering the harbor in Le Palais, the largest town on the island. She was standing straight. Not moving. She was staring at the tall white boat that was slowly making its way through the calm waters of the harbor, with its passengers looking minuscule from a distance. She was waiting for her papa. He was coming to meet us for the rest of our stay on the island.

Surely, if she had known the words, she would have told him about what she had already seen after a week: beautiful beaches where she liked to run in tidal puddles; wild black currants that grew wild everywhere and that made me wish I could have made jam; the small brown dog that visited the house every time we ate dinner on the patio; the red cat that liked to laze on the roof of an old Peugeot to enjoy the warmth of the late summer sun; the fresh baguette and sablé bretonmamie and papie sneaked into her hand each morning on the way back from the market. She had got used to all these things. And I know she wanted to share them with him. But instead, she gave him a generous kiss on the face.

A happy smile.

Shared hugs.

Lighthouse at La Pointe de Poulains–Apple crumble

I grew up with the dream that one day, I would visit Belle-Île en mer, one of the picturesque islands located off the west coast of France. Probably because the west coast is my favorite French coastline by far; because Brittany makes me love the feeling of wearing Wellington boots and a raincoat on the beach; and because I am always hungry for galettes, savory crêpes made with blé noir (buckwheat) traditional of the area.

There was plenty more.

I told P. that the island looked like Ireland. Locals told us so too. I found the vegetation reminiscent of places I had visited in New Zealand and on the coast of New England as well. After all, there was a time when those two places only formed one.

I knew P. was going to fall in love with Belle-Île en mer as much as I did.

Rougets grillés (Grilled mullets)

Quickly, we developed a pleasant routine, one I loved getting used to. In the mornings, we enjoyed coastal walks and walked to the market; we cooked simple homemade foods; we napped with Lulu and played in the water and sand with her. It was really easy to soak in the casual island lifestyle, and the details that give charm to the place.

There was the magnificent Plage de Donnant with its gigantic impressive cliffs, dangerous surf and extreme tides; and not far, the picturesque beaches of Herlin and Baluden. We knew that Lulu would find her sandbox minuscule forever after playing there.

I made friends with the cute brown and white cows that looked tranquil and undisturbed, no matter what seemed to happen around them.

We ate far breton made with local milk. I cooked apple crumbles and baked flognardes aux pommes (apple clafoutis) prepared with Reinette apples from the region. Everywhere across the region of Brittany, apple juice and cider are widely produced.

View of the harbor in Sauzon

Les Embruns in Sauzon–Bulots

Every day, our lunch or dinner menu included fresh fish purchased at the morning market held on the town square. I discovered pouce-pieds (thumb-foot), a strange-looking shellfish that lives in agitated waters near rocks. And I could not get enough of langoustines (scampi) and scallops with its pretty-colored orange coral–which I am never able to find in the States. One night, I made a langoustine, pea and watercress risotto for dinner. And a langoustine and fennel salad. Another night, we enjoyed a dish of sauteed scallops stewed in a coconut and lime broth with flavors of coriander, ginger and garlic. We found ourselves quickly addicted to this daily taste of incredible seafood.

Langoustine, pea and watercress risotto

There was also the scrumptious fromages de chèvre de Sauzon (fresh soft goat cheese) I bought in numbers. They brought childhood memories of Heidi, the TV series I never missed when I was only nine. I was secretly dreaming of living Heidi’s life in the mountains and eat fromage de chèvre with her grand-papa the way she did.

Araignée de mer (Spider crab)

Fennel and langoustine salad

Most days were sunny and mild. We visited the beautiful sites of Port Coton and La Pointe des Poulains, stopping at Chez Renée’s on the way back for a galette. Theirs were thin and crispy, with a wide range of delicious stuffing no matter what we choose. One day, I had mine stuffed with scallops, crème fraiche and leeks. The next time I chose fromage de chèvre and honey while P.’s had andouille and Lulu preferred a galette complète (a galette with a stuffing made of ham, cheese and egg). By far, these galettes were the best we ate on the island.

Pouce-Pieds–Plage de Donnant–Fromage de chèvre de Sauzon

Far breton

There were also the houses with their cheery colored shutters and attractive hortensias in front; The sardine cannery. The crème de caramel au beurre salé (caramel cream made with salted butter) or with chocolate. Spider crabs. The agneau de Belle-Île (lamb raised on the island) with its delicate taste, which we enjoyed inside an eggplant crumble one night for dinner.

Belle-Île en mer was all of that: A short forty five minute ferry ride between Quiberon and Le Palais; an island 18 kilomers long and 9 kilometers wide with a charming rural character and a peaceful atmosphere; an amazing Indian summer by late August early September; a place special to Claude Monet, Arletty and Sarah Bernhardt; bike paths to tour the island, from beach to beach; fig trees; broom; delicious local foods; coastal walks that allowed to get wonderful views of the island.

After Tortola, it was also Lulu’s first vacation at the beach in France.

Unique and special.

Galette complète at Chez Renée’s

Plage de Donnant

So during the only two rainy days we had–who said it poured in Brittany?–I baked a chocolate and nut cake while Lulu played in the rain puddles. Because chocolate and rain always rhyme in my mind.

Because a vacation without chocolate is not a real vacation.

Right?

I hope you don’t mind the pictures. I snapped way too many. That’s what happens when I fall in love with a place.

Onto the chocolate cake. I will try to tell you more about the galettes next. With the farine de sarrasin (buckwheat flour) I brought back with me.

Chocolate and nut cake

Chocolate and nut cake

You need:

3 large eggs

1/3 cup (80 g) blond cane sugar

Pinch of sea salt

4.5 oz (125 g) dark chocolate, chopped coarsely

6 tablespoons (85 g) unsalted butter, diced

1/3 cup hazelnut flour

1/3 cup almond meal

Flour, to coat the mold

Confectioner’s sugar, to dust

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 400 F and butter an 8-inch (21 cm) round mold. Coat with flour and tap the excess out; set aside.

Place the chocolate and butter in a bowl. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water and let melt, stirring.

In a large bowl, beat the eggs with sugar and salt until the preparation has tripled in volume — for 8 minutes.

Fold in the almond meal and hazelnut flour. Fold in the melted chocolate.

Transfer this batter to the mold and bake the cake for 30 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes and unmold carefully.

When ready to serve, dust with confectioner’s sugar. The cake should stay moist inside.

143 comments

This is beautiful and inspiring. I am just launching a new store in Auckland, New Zealand, and in moments where I find myself lacking it is these wonderful things people are doing which keeps me on track… living well, a beautiful, natural life. Can’t wait to get my website for Spencer’s going with photos and articles like this about my wonderful suppliers, our beautiful world, and what is important in life. Thanks so much

Belle-Île en mer, la Bien Nommée, this place looks like a dream! I can’t pick a favorite picture, they are all beautiful. I particularly like the red lighthouse and the pictures of the langoustines, and of course the beautiful colorful window shutters.

Wow, wow, wow.. so many pictures and such a lovely holiday. Great pictures Bea.. I really enjoyed the photos and holiday. I chuckled when I saw Lulu’s photo of her playing with the rain puddles and the ‘happy wanderer’ pic (the one before the seagull pic).

Oh how dreamy. Two weeks to savour and enjoy the beauty–being present. I love what travel does to your senses. especially when you peer thru the eyes of your little one. I found this quote you might enjoy after a recent dreamy trip I took to Europe.
“If travel is like love, it is, in the end, mostly because it’s a heightened state of awareness, in which we are mindful, receptive, undimmed by familiarity and ready to be transformed. That is why the best trips, like the best love affairs, never really end.”

what a beautiful place bea. reminds me so much of home, especially when i saw those “percebes”,(as we call them), the gooseneck barnacles. hmmm… such a delicacy. and the far breton and your cake. what a fantastic trip.

gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous! i so hope for my daughter to live these experiences by travelling to France someday as an exchange student! or, if blessings abound, a visit i would like to take with both of my children!

Don’t worry about posting “too many pics”, it can never be the case with a dreamy place like this.
Thanks for giving us a taste of Belle-Ile en Mer Already waiting for your next post, hoping it’ll still be a travel one.

Ohhhh this is so gorgeous! You make me want to quit my dreary and boring life, here in Alberta, and go live there forever, in this amazing paradise! This is a great (but cruel) post, with beautiful pictures!

Belle ile, elle me manque. As a student, i spent summers near Nantes, and visited belle ile, et noirmoitier, and St. Brieuc. Your pictures brought them back. And I can taste the seafood and the buckwheat galettes that my French father would make in the garage. Thank you for sharing yor memories and recalling my own.

You have managed to capture the essence of this french holiday in all your beautiful photos. Your blog is a work of art and an inspiration! I travelled around France many years ago and still have long desired urge to return to my favourite country, when I see al your photos my heart aches to return.

Many many thanks for your kind words. Oh yes, it’s a place to visit and love! Especially off season, when everything is quieter.

Kara, thank you! I wish I had the skill to be making Lulu’s clothes. I have tons of ideas! But instead, I buy them, here and there. The ones you see on the pics are mostly from French children’s stores.

Alessandra, the pic inside the house with Lulu in it is of the house we rented. I can email you details if you like.

Thank you for stopping by and complimenting my illustration, it was a labor of love And now I’ve discovered this amazingly beautiful space of yours I have a place to come to look at some stunning photos. I’m a useless cook but I might have to have a go at some of the recipes, they look so tempting

Bea, thank you for sharing your experiences, it is such a joy and inspiration to read your posts. Your photos are stunning and capture the magic of this beautiful corner of France. I can’t wait to go back and visit again soon.

Oh my, I love Brittany so much. It’s my most favorite place. Granted I haven’t been, but I know I will love it. WE hope to go someday and take the4 walk across to Mount St Michel. Thank you for posting these beautiful pictures!

Ah Béa…. not only are your shots beautiful, I love your quirky layouts.
The brown and white cow next to the empty chocolate pudding bowl and the seagulls head in the foreground of the lighthouse shot made me chuckle.

Super!!! Where is that gorgeous place you stayed at? My husband and I are planning to go to Belle Ile next summer and are looking for renting a house. I would love to know where you stayed at!Thanks for all those beautiful pictures. Cannot wait to go!

As to the house, la maison, I rented it from Marion Miehe. Google his name and the houses he owns will show up (contact: Marion Miehe. Mettez son nom dans Google et ses maisons vont s’afficher. Il en a deux a Le Palais, d’autres a Port Coton, Kerel…) They are decorated with taste and have a lovely open space. Great wood and stone, earthy materials. Du beau bois, de la pierre, des matières nobles. Un grand espace commun.

90 comments…. do you ever visit out sites, Bea? This is very beautiful. El is like you. Her site is called Fresh – or Fresh New England. A respite from the day. A soft place to fall… but I am sad the relationship is only one way.
Valerie

Oh I also dreamed of living Heidi’s life in the mountains- drinking milk and eating bread with fresh butter! Now after this post I dream of traveling with you as a tour guide. Simply stunning photography and the way you present it tells such a beautiful story.

I will translate the recipe shortly. The temperature of 400F equals to 200 C.

Christian and all of you who asked, I mentioned already in a comment before that the house I rented was through Marion Miehe. Google his name and you’ll find his rentals. Have fun if you end up going! You’ll love it.

Congratulations for all these beautiful pictures and recipes! Belle-Ile is such a wonderful place… sitting in the wind at the Pointe des Poulains is one of the best feelings in the world…
A little suggestion if you haven’t already done it: next time, try to go to Les Embruns in Sauzon; this is for sure te best Crêperie I’ve ever been to!

Ah oui, les Embruns bien sur. I went there too, but I must confess that I preferred the crêpes at Chez Renée. I found them thinner and crispier. But Les Embruns was lovely all the same. Especially sitting outside looking at the harbor activity.

No need at all to apologise for your lovely photos – I love each & every one of them. Thank you for allowing us to come with you on this wonderful trip via your blog. It feels like I’ve visited France now…

We were in Brittany this summer and were awed by the landscape and the food! We wanted to visit this island as well but we didn’t have the time. I’m glad we didn’t go ahead with our plan to visit the island as, from your post, I think one day (which we planned) wouldn’t do the island justice.

And thanks for pointing out the ‘thumb-foot’. We had them in San Sebastian and I almost gave up knowing what it’s called until I read this post.

Sigh. Belle-Ile-en-Mer has been on my list of places to visit for at least the last 15 years. We even had a place booked for a 2-day trip in late October a few years back, but not knowing failed to reserve the ferry in advance. When we arrived we discovered there was no room left on the only ferry going that day and we would have to try again another time. Your post and wonderful pictures not just confirm my feelings that it is a magical place, but goes beyond to induce repeated sighs of longing. Beautifully done.

my god Bea…you are so inspirational! i love your food and pictures..amazing. i looked at the fotos above and was listenning this music(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4qPG99GXF0I&feature=related) you can’t imagine- they are just meant for each other..the music and your pictures..thanks for the happiness!

Four months ago we became MUM and DAD of Alizée. As we were in the adopting process for 7 years now, she came as a complete surprise. ‘Angel’ was her conceptname ;-). Searching for the ideal gettaway with little Alizée, I came across your ‘témoignage’ of Belle île en mer, never heard of it before. We can’t wait to discover this enchanting island, of course very much inspired by your pictures!
Belgium

Béatrice Peltre is a food writer, stylist and photographer working out of her home studio in Boston.
She is a regular contributor to the Boston Globe Food Section, and her work has appeared in many publications
such as Saveur, Food and Wine, Whole Living, Fine Cooking, the Wall Street Journal, NPR, the Huffington Post,
the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, Edible Boston, Living France, the New York Times Diner’s Journal,
and in many other international magazines.